What Would Pie and Marshall Bring?

[HoopsCubs]

Curious to hear people's thoughts on what type of player the Cubs should expect to get if they were to package Felix Pie and Sean Marshall in a deal.

 

Gordon Wittenmyer has an interesting column today in the Sun Times, where he suggests that the Cubs should keep Jacque Jones and trade Pie.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/596021,CST-SPT-cub10.article

 

That got me thinking about Pie and Marshall, who seems to be out of the rotation plans going forward (maybe I'm reading too much into things).

 

 

Hoops

[jersey cubs fan]

That's not an interesting article, it's a terrible one.

 

Jones stinks, regardless of his 2nd half average. The past 4 years Jones's OPS+ is 90, 99, 107 and 87. Coming from a 33 (in 2008) year old set to make $5m, that's not anywhere close to a player you need to hold onto.

[jersey cubs fan]

Pie and Marshall, they could probably get you a pretty good player. But any team that knows the Cubs are choosing Jones and Marquis (and maybe Trachsel) over those two, has to realize the Cubs must think they are both very bad, so not worth much, or that the Cubs are very stupid, so not worth offering much.

 

If you are trading Pie and Marshall, you might as well include Colvin, Murton, Wuertz, Gallagher et al and get yourself somebody like Miguel Cabrera, whose cost is going to go higher and higher.

[Banedon]

This article pretty much shreds that Suntimes article.

[Outshined_One]

I think they'd net either a young guy who might put it all together and become a star or a star who is starting to go on the decline of his career.

 

Overall, a B/B+ level player is possible, imo.

[rocket]

This article pretty much shreds that Suntimes article.

 

Pie is 22 and has a total of 177 AB in his life. Now is probably not the time to give up on him. In 1952, at the age of 21, Willie Mays had 127 AB and hit .236. Am I saying Felix Pie will turn out to be as good as Willie Mays? Yes. In fact, I am guaranteeing it. If Felix Pie does not turn out to be as good as Willie Mays, I will give everyone who reads this blog one hundred dollars.

 

hahaha, that is excellent.

[E.J.]

I still love the idea of getting Jeremy Hermida from Florida and would be willing to part with Pie and Marshall to get him. Don't know if the Marlins would trade him though.

[JeffH]

It's easy to find guys you could get for that pair, but it's tough to level out such deals.

 

You probably could get Dontrelle for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

You probably could get Renteria for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

You probably could get Burrell for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

You probably could get your choice of Kearns or Church for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

Whether you'd want any of those players is a separate discussion.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Keep Pie if you want. Give him a shot in center next spring, even. But Jones had better be around to take over when it doesn't work.

 

You are extremely certain that Felix Pie is going to fail, considering that the man has had 177 AB and is 22. In 1967, Reggie Jackson was 21 and had 118 AB. He hit .178/.269/.305. Now, am I saying that Felix Pie will end up being as good as Reggie Jackson? Absolutely. In fact, if Felix Pie retires with fewer home runs than Reggie's 563, I will get a tattoo of Joe Morgan's face over my entire face and I will name my first son Timothy McCarver Is Tremendous and I will give everyone who reads this blog one hundred thousand dollars. Book it.

 

Amazing.

 

On topic, if we're trading Marshall+Pie for an upgrade, I'd look to find someone hitting arbitration for the first time that a smaller market team may not want to pay. Pie + Marshall for Hawpe + ??, I dunno.

 

EDIT: And agreed times a billion to seeing what's necessary to get Hermida.

[JeffH]

On topic, if we're trading Marshall+Pie for an upgrade, I'd look to find someone hitting arbitration for the first time that a smaller market team may not want to pay.

 

Joe Blanton.

[JeffH]

Keep Pie if you want. Give him a shot in center next spring, even. But Jones had better be around to take over when it doesn't work.

 

There's an argument to be made that Pagan is as good, if not better, a backup plan to Pie than Jones, assuming Angel still has a functioning digestive system.

[CuseCubFan69]

I think if the Cubs are going to keep Pie in CF they have improve at RF and or SS big time.

 

If Not, maybe they should look into dealing him and Marshall for some of the above mentioned. I want somebody that can take some pitches and be a productive hitter, an impact hitter.

[NewUserName]

This article pretty much shreds that Suntimes article.

 

Pie is 22 and has a total of 177 AB in his life. Now is probably not the time to give up on him. In 1952, at the age of 21, Willie Mays had 127 AB and hit .236. Am I saying Felix Pie will turn out to be as good as Willie Mays? Yes. In fact, I am guaranteeing it. If Felix Pie does not turn out to be as good as Willie Mays, I will give everyone who reads this blog one hundred dollars.

 

hahaha, that is excellent.

 

 

What is really funny is that Pie seems like a hustly, gritty, BALLPLAYER. Why he is valued so lowly by Whiinhmer and "obviously Lou" while Jones is some kind of winning player is beyond me.

[jersey cubs fan]

This article pretty much shreds that Suntimes article.

 

Pie is 22 and has a total of 177 AB in his life. Now is probably not the time to give up on him. In 1952, at the age of 21, Willie Mays had 127 AB and hit .236. Am I saying Felix Pie will turn out to be as good as Willie Mays? Yes. In fact, I am guaranteeing it. If Felix Pie does not turn out to be as good as Willie Mays, I will give everyone who reads this blog one hundred dollars.

 

hahaha, that is excellent.

 

 

What is really funny is that Pie seems like a hustly, gritty, BALLPLAYER. Why he is valued so lowly by Whiinhmer and "obviously Lou" while Jones is some kind of winning player is beyond me.

 

Because Pie never played for the Twins.

[Guest]

The Pie-Reggie Jackson and Pie-Willie Mays thing was awesome.

 

This guy needs to go back to covering the Twins if he likes Jones and AJP that much.

[St.Paul Cub]

Hilarious blog. I agree that we need a backup plan for Pie if he falls apart completely, but at the same time if we upgrade RF and SS, Pie is not going to make or break our season.

 

I don't remember Wittenmeyer writing about the Twins, but I could be wrong. The only good Twins beat writers are Brad Zellar of The Rake (former member of the Gear Daddies) and Lavelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune. Yeah Lavelle was the guy who supposedly cost Pedro the MVP that one year, but he's a Die Hard Bears Fan who's a blast to drink with on Sundays during the game.

[BigbadB]

Pie has a chance to be very good, and probably in a short amount of time. He has teammates who want to see him win the job, which should be good for his psyche.

 

If Gerald Perry can teach him some patience, I don't think there will be much need for an upgrade in CF. I think Pie will eventually start tagging the ball like he was in the minors.

 

Since Jacque Jones doesn't supply a whole lot of trade value at this time, I would go into the 2008 season with Murton and Jones platooning in RF. I'd actually prefer they platoon in LF and move Soriano to RF, but I doubt we see that happen now.

 

Catcher has an in house upgrade on what was a horrible position offensively and defensively this year. Geovany Soto should solidify that position cheaply and much more productively for the next several seasons.

 

That really leaves SS as the one hole. I like Theriot, but as a utility player, not a starter. It remains to be seen whether Ronny Cedeno can ever figure it out at the major league level, and he's currently our best bet to improve production at that position in house. I would be shopping hard for a SS during the offseason and using any and all resources (available cash) to get one.

 

The pitching staff really doesn't have any major holes to address. I'd be perfectly content going into 2008 with:

 

LF Soriano

CF Pie

RF Murton/Jones/Ward

3b Ramirez

SS Renteria/Tejada/ARod/Furcal/someone else

2b DeRosa

1b Lee

C Soto

 

I like the thought of getting someone like Hermida, but I don't see it happening. Why would Florida trade him? Cody Ross looks like he can handle CF and Hermida looks like he's about to break out. No one knows that better than Florida.

[rawaction]

I wouldn't mind trading Pie and Marshall, especially if the gain is a good young RF or SS. If you get something of value, then I think Jones is a decent stop gap in CF, provided he shows up before summer, before you hand the job over to Colvin or Eric Patterson in 2009. Marshall did a great job, but his durability is in question. I think the top 4 are pretty solid. You can mix and match in the 5th spot, like they did this year, until you find a guy to take over for good.

 

If you can get Hawpe or Hermida for Pie and Marshall, you have to do it. My hope is the get Renteria for Marshall and a prospect and then Hawpe for a combo including Pie, Hart/Gallagher, and others.

[bukie]

I'm almost more curious what Theriot would fetch in a trade, as he seems like just the type of player that could be overvalued as a sell-high guy this offseason.

[nilodnayr]

I'm almost more curious what Theriot would fetch in a trade, as he seems like just the type of player that could be overvalued as a sell-high guy this offseason.

 

Hey, if Eckstein is possibly going to get 3/24, someone should be interested in Theriot.

[badnews]

I think there's no way the Rockies trade Hawpe and it's pretty doubtful the Marlins trade Hermida. The options look poor in this market. The best we could probably do is buy lower on Chad Tracy, though he's not much of a right fielder.

 

Pie and Marshall seems like a pretty high price for Joe Blanton. I'm not a big fan of A's pitchers moving elsewhere. Those guys make Alan Embree, Lenny DiNardo, and Kirk Saarloos look plausible. Not saying Blanton's in that class but I don't think he's due for the NL friendly bump either.

[NYF]

It's easy to find guys you could get for that pair, but it's tough to level out such deals.

 

You probably could get Dontrelle for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

You probably could get Renteria for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

You probably could get Burrell for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

You probably could get your choice of Kearns or Church for Pie & Marshall, but the Cubs would need more.

 

Whether you'd want any of those players is a separate discussion.

 

Renteria please. thanks...